The Beginning of the End
by Marni.246
Summary: A look at Dumbledore's funeral through Ron's eyes. All characters belong to JKR, and hope you enjoy it!


The Beginning of the End

Ron could hear Harry and Ginny's quiet conversation, although he didn't want to. One part of him loved Harry for wanting to protect Ginny this way, but the other wanted to do as much bodily harm to him as he could. He was about to break his little sister's heart, and everyone knew how protective Ron was of Ginny.

To distract himself, Ron glanced at Hermione, who sat in between him and Ginny. She wasn't crying loudly, but tears were still steadily streaming down her face as she stared at the white tomb. Wondering briefly how many times she had cried throughout the school year, he felt a burning desire to make up for it.

"Come here," he whispered softly, gently tugging her hand. She turned and looked at him, grief plainly etched on her face, and he felt tears form in his own eyes. He pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her. At first she didn't move, but eventually he felt her relax against him, and wrapped his arms tightly around her in response.

She shuddered once, and then gave in to her tears. He could hear her crying now, which unleashed his own tears from his eyes. They slipped slowly down his face, some dripping off his nose, but he felt no need to dry them. So what if he cried?

He was vaguely aware of Harry standing up and walking away. He continued to hold Hermione as he watched him from the corner of his eye, but did look around fully when Ginny sniffed and said wearily, "So it begins…."

Hermione sat back and turned to her almost-sister, but before she could say anything, Ginny said quietly, "See you on the train," and stood, walking hastily back into the castle with everyone else.

Ron suddenly found Hermione's eyes staring into his as she asked, "What happened?"

"He broke it off…." Ron said, unconsciously lifting his hand to brush away Hermione's tears.

"I was expecting him to be noble like that…." Her voice drifted off, and only then did Ron realize what he was doing.

Shocked and embarrassed, he pulled his hand back and clasped it together with his other. He then set them safely in his lap, where they would not be able to make him look like a git or allow him to make any other stupid gestures. "I – I'm sorry," he said quietly.

He realized after he said the words that he had been talking about Lavender. Hermione, being as astute as she was, nodded slowly, "Thank you, but it's in the past now, Ron."

Ron swallowed thickly and glanced away from her face. It was then that he noticed the Minister hurrying over to Harry. "Look – Scrimgeour's going to see Harry."

Hermione turned in her seat, and Ron could hear the frown in her voice when she said, "What nerve! After all the Ministry's done!"

Ron patter her hand gently, "Harry'll hold his own."

Hermione nodded and looked back at him, "I'm worried for after."

"After?" Ron asked, pulling his hand from hers.

She glanced down at her own hand as she answered, "I think he wants to go after the Horcruxes…after all, it's what Dumbledore wanted, really."

"We've still got a year left," Ron reminded her.

Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but seemed to decide against it. She smiled sadly at him, and when she finally spoke, he could tell that it wasn't what she originally wanted to say. "Ron, you know that he likely won't ask us to go with him?"  
"Think so?"

Hermione nodded, "I don't know how you feel, but I'm going with him." She looked at him closely, almost as if trying to detect an emotion in his expression. When she seemed to find nothing, she added, "He'll need my help. Our help. Ron, you're closer to him than just about anyone else – if you're willing to go, he'll need you, too."

"Go where, exactly?" Ron asked quietly.

Hermione shrugged softly, "I'm honestly not sure."

"And you're going to follow him?" She nodded, and he mirrored it. "I'm going too, don't worry."

For the first time since that awful night, Ron grinned, and Hermione grinned in return. "Now the difficult part is going to be convincing him…." Hermione bit her lip and her smile faded.

Ron glanced back at Harry, and saw that the Minister seemed to be leaving. "Well, here's our chance. Let's go." Together, they hurried towards Harry and caught up to him under Ron's favorite beech tree.

"What did Scrimgeour want?" Hermione asked, cutting to the point. As Ron listened to Harry's reply, he developed an intense desire to plant his fist in his older brother's face.

"Look, let me go back and hit Percy!"

Hermione grabbed his arm and looked at him fiercely, "No."

"It'll make me feel better!" Ron protested. He was startled to hear Harry laugh, and saw a faint smile soften Hermione's features.

They began to discuss Hogwarts, and when Harry flat out said that he wouldn't be returning either way, Ron was more shocked to find that Hermione wasn't shocked.

"I knew you were going to say that," she said in answer. Ron wondered briefly if that was what she had been about to say earlier on. He came to the conversation in time to hear Harry talking about Godric's Hollow.

"And then what?" Ron asked, feeling rather weary.

"Then, I've got to track down the rest of the Horcruxes, haven't I?" Harry said.

Ron exchanged a look with Hermione, which firmly stated, _I told you so_. Ron had to bite his tongue to keep from smiling. Now was not a good moment.

"…And if I meet Severus Snape along the way," Harry was now saying, "so much the better for me, so much the worse for him."

A long silence ensued, in which Ron looked again at Hermione. She met his gaze, held it for a moment or two, and then nodded once. He knew that she must be feeling as nervous about it all as he was, but they were both extremely determined to accompany Harry on his quest.

Hadn't Harry been there for him, always? Even when Harry had much rather been somewhere else, he had stuck with Ron and supported him. Harry was also his best mate, and Ron knew he meant the world to Hermione as well. Neither of them wanted Harry to be alone on this mission, and both were firm in helping him in any way they could. Harry had also saved Ron's life after he had been poisoned.

Ron glanced back at Dumbledore's tomb. He did not want to be attending Harry's funeral sometime in the near future, knowing that instead of hiding in safety, he could maybe have helped Harry.

"We'll be there, Harry," Ron heard himself say after another minute or two.

"What?"

"At your aunt and uncle's house," said Ron. "And then we'll go with you wherever you're going."

Ron and Hermione both spent the next few minutes trying to convince Harry that they were going with him. When they finally convinced him, Ron felt a surge of fear flutter through him and shuddered in spite of it. Harry, who had already started walking back slowly towards the castle with his hand clenched around the locket in his pocket, didn't notice Ron's shudder, but someone else did.

Ron felt a hand that was smaller and much softer than his reach out and touch his hand. He looked at Hermione, holding on to her hand at the same time, and saw her smile at him. "It will be alright," she said quietly. He didn't want to point out that she didn't seem so sure herself.

Ron nodded and squeezed her hand, feeling a slightly elated feeling wash over him. They were going to help Harry – no second guesses now – and they would be together while doing it.

Harry, who was a few paces away from them, turned and stopped, waiting for them to catch up. Ron and Hermione let go of each other's hands, and walked side-by-side to Harry. Ron found himself hoping that in some nearby time, when all threat of evil had gone, they would have another day such as this one.


End file.
